Fractal Carbon Islands on Plastic Substrates for Enhancement in Directional and Beaming Fluorescence Emission

In the past decade, the exploration for frugal nanomaterials that manipulate the electromagnetic field for the development of next-generation plasmonic technologies has been on the rise. Fractal nanoparticles with augmented electromagnetic field enhancements have their utility in broad-band optics and electrochemical applications. Here we present a simple, ultrafast method to deposit fractal carbon islands from candle soot on plastic substrates. Fractal carbon islands, generated here, have been utilized in spacer and cavity architectures that provide an 80-fold enhancement in directional and beaming emissions from radiating dipoles coupled to surface plasmon polaritons.